From Cables to Cybersecurity AC Stem Intern Finds Her Path Forward

When Jacqueline Mendoza first enrolled at Amarillo College, she was a business major without a clear career direction.

“I didn’t really know where I was going from there,” she said. “Then I got into technology and computers because my dad already does some stuff with that. The more I got into the classes, the more I liked where this was going.”

That curiosity led Mendoza to change her major to cyber security/networking—eventually to a coveted internship with Axigent Technologies Group, Inc., an Amarillo-based IT services company. 

“It doesn’t hurt to try,” she told herself when she saw the opportunity.

From the start, Mendoza’s goal was to represent herself and Amarillo College well. 

“My first day was a bit nerve wracking because I wanted to make an amazing impression,” she said. “Thankfully, my internship was full of kind people who were equally excited to have an intern to pass some knowledge and experience to.”

That welcoming environment made all the difference. 

“Axigent was one of the first places where I thought, ‘I want to work in an environment like this,’” she said. “The owners genuinely care about their employees and their work-life balance. If I ever got the opportunity to be in a position like theirs, I’d take it in a heartbeat.”

The internship gave Mendoza valuable, hands-on experience. She built her own computer, experimented with virtual machines, and gained new understanding of networking and cybersecurity concepts she had studied in class. 

“It really helped me put together the things I learned in class with real-world experience,” she said.

Before her internship, Mendoza had already done freelance networking work running cables and handling physical installations, a job she picked up from her father. 

“That helped me understand the physical side of technology,” she said. “But I definitely enjoyed working in the office more.”

Orientation sessions through Amarillo College’s internship program helped Mendoza feel ready for the challenge. 

“I was ready for anything coming my way,” she said. “The internship team at Amarillo College got me fully prepared and gave me an idea of what to expect.”

Now, with her internship complete, Mendoza is preparing to transfer to the University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa, where she will study computer science. 

“It’s still on the same track as what I’m in now, but it’s more coding,” she said. “I feel like I’ll be way more into the whole tech world.”

Looking back, Mendoza says she’s grateful for the opportunities she’s had and the people she’s met.

“Every day at my internship, I learned something new,” she said. “I’ve been lucky to work with people who not only taught me, but also believed in me. That’s something I’ll carry forward in my career.”